MILLENNIA VILLAGE REDEFINES SENIOR LIVING

Inspired by the emblematic "Hakka Tulou" (客家土楼), the central communal space to foster camaraderie and strengthen ties within traditional Hakka communities, Millennia Village is reputedly the first purpose-built senior living resort in Malaysia.

Nestled on a 32-acre lush enclave in Seremban, Millennia Village aims to redefine the lifestyle of seniors as "the start of more enriching and purposeful golden years”.

Surrounded by prolific greenery and native trees, the main building’s "Hakka Tulou" inspired design envisaged a collective community where residents converge, connect, communicate, and share life experiences.

According to John Chia, Founder of Millennia Village, "We believe seniors deserve more than just a place to stay. They should be in a community catering to their unique needs. We believe the golden years can be just as exciting and rewarding.”

Executive Director of Millennia Village, Diane Chia (right) adds, “Millennia Village is inspired by the principles of Blue Zones, focusing on healthy habits, togetherness and happiness. Those factors contribute to seniors’ longevity and well-being. We aim to enhance the quality of senior lifestyle by providing a safe, comfortable, and socially engaging environment. The tranquility of our location means pristine air quality, minimal traffic and noise along with an unparalleled level of privacy and security.”

We were assigned a 481 sqft Studio Suite room. Clad in white and neutral earth tones with clean, minimalist approach, the glass doors lead outside to a balcony with soothing views of the granite rock wall covered with trees and shrubbery.

Bathroom handrails, a panic button and a wall-mounted fold-up stool are found in the shower and toilet. The door is wide enough for wheelchair access although it would be nice to have a more accessible shelf for toiletries, bath sponge and spectacles.

The current recess space beside the shower cubicle seemed odd and not user-friendly. Also, the empty space in-between means water splashing out of the shower area is inevitable even though the curtain is fully drawn.

Our room layout is nice and practical featuring a long kitchen counter equipped with an induction stove top, microwave oven, electric kettle and sink. Furnishings include a couch with a coffee table, a dining table, a floor-to-ceiling closet and wooden sideboard.

Electrical appliances provided are a fridge, an induction cooker with hood, an electric kettle and a microwave oven. There’s aslo a flatscreen TV and a working desk. Fans, an air-conditioning unit and Wi-Fi access are par for the course.

Currently, breakfast, lunch and dinner are served at Saffron all-day dining restaurant. There’s plenty of natural daylight within the space. A private room is also available for group dining.

One floor above is Kopitiam which will be serving simple, local fare and snack items. Plans are afoot for a grab & go bakery cum convenience store of sorts.

Located at the 9th Floor of Block B, The Rooftop is ideal for lounging around with friends for drinks and conversation. The balcony seating accords panoramic vista of the nearby surroundings.

We love the saltwater infinity swimming pool where aquarobics classes can be held. Nearby is a walking trail with various fitness equipment for those who desire working out in the open.

More walking paths with a 2-acre nursery for eco-farming and zero waste practices e.g. growing organic produce and composting food waste are also available. Avid gardeners will like pottering around the raised garden beds and elevated planters. Built using permaculture principles, the fertile farm garden aims to provide edible herbs and vegetables for a farm-to-table experience.

Serene strolls along trails purpose-built by the Orang Asli wends through a regenerated forest covering 8 acres of prime land amidst the stunning vistas of a majestic rugged granite rock face.

Planned group fitness activities: tai chi, line dancing, senior yoga, physiotherapy, and stretching exercises to arts and craft and even a community kitchen should keep senior residents occupied and fulfilled. A gym, a multi-purpose studio, an airy and spacious library, a games room, a theatre and event space accommodating up to 200 persons are found onsite.

The first phase of 344 units features one- and two-bedroom units tailored for independent senior living whilst the second phase will comprise 75 units for seniors requiring assisted care. Phase three will offer larger units for independent senior living.

Millennia Village offers medium and long-term tenancies of 1 month to 3 years, with pricing depending on the stay duration. For a limited time only, Millennia Village is offering a long stay promotion at RM5,500 per month for two persons.

A trial stay of 3D/2N is also available from RM1,200 for two persons. All room packages include a fully furnished unit, housekeeping, Wi-Fi, free access to all facilities, daily breakfast and dinner. The offers are valid until 31 August 2024 and are subject to prevailing taxes.

For more information about Millennia Village, please call 06-7609677, email: dianechia@milenniavillage.com or visit www.millenniavillage.com.

BOUNTIFUL CHEF’S SPECIALITIES AT NEW HARVEST

 

Not all chicken rice are created equal. In Klang, it's no secret if you wish to eat Chef Simon Lee's signature Chicken Rice (half chicken RM70 small, RM80 medium, RM90 large; whole chicken RM125 small, RM135 medium, RM145 large), you need to pre-order the dish at least a day in advance.

Using free range chicken weighing about 2kg, Lee said he sourced the Dutch breed of chickens for his speciality dish. We had the chance to sample the delectable chicken recently: its corn-yellow skin and tender, succulent meat proved scrumptious to the bite. It made perfect pairing with Chef Lee's aromatic and deeply flavourful chicken rice.

Accentuated with pandan, ginger and shallots, the rice was good enough to be eaten on its own. Rice lovers will find it hard to stop at just one bowl. 

Lee honed his skills as a disciple of a veteran Chinese chef who made a name for himself in the local Chinese restaurant scene back in the day. Having garnered a wealth of experience under his torque, Lee now holds court at his own New Harvest restaurant in Klang.

Those in the know considers New Harvest an 'old is gold' dining bastion; a haven where pricey specialities of shark’s fin and abalone command leading roles, sharing the stage with comforting chicken rice and familiar homey braised dishes.

Looks can be deceptive as the air-conditioned, austere interior of New Harvest appears like any other neighbourhood Chinese restaurant. It's simple and pragmatically furnished yet its pulling power is undoubtedly the chef’s la sau choi (signature specialities), boldly depicted on the colourful wall-to-wall backdrops.

Our lunch commenced with Stir Fried Scrambled Egg with Crab Meat (RM12 per person, minimum 3 persons per serving). Those old enough to remember will find much pleasure to taste this crowd-pleasing opener which had dominated Chinese banquets in the yesteryears.

Wrapped up in fresh iceberg lettuce, the fluffy-soft egg embedded with dices of sweet, crunchy water chestnuts and toasty pine nuts stirred up some nostalgic memories for us.

Then New Zealand shark’s fin, fish maw and Japanese dried scallop formed a luxurious combination to entice us in Chef Lee’s Braised Superior Small Shark’s Fin Soup with Dried Scallop (RM48). The unctuously gummy and superbly flavourful broth warmed our hearts, tummies and palates profusely.

According to Chef Lee, 5 kilos of chicken feet along with old chicken, lean pork and Yunnan ham were used to simmer the soup for 12 hours before it yielded the desired results. Aside from the fins, we also relished those umami-packed dried scallops and spongy fish maw.

 

The culinary bar was raised further with the Braised Australian 3 Head Abalone with Goose Web (RM118). One look at the lustrous sauce was proof enough the dish befit a king.

We were in gastronomic heaven once we bit into the toothsomely resistant abalone, contrasting against the meltingly tender goose web. Coupled with that incomparable sauce, the whole ensemble had me counting my blessings and lucky stars.

Who would have thought peanut butter was the unlikely secret ingredient to Chef Special Stewed Pork (RM48)? Similar to ‘tung por yoke’ (braised pork belly named after Song Dynasty’s famous writer, poet and calligrapher Su Dong Po), Chef Lee made his version with tong gwai, garlic, ginger, cloves and star anise. The silky, luscious sauce was soul-satisfyingly yummy although the pork belly was a tad on the lean side.

 

Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables with Almonds (RM25) lent some balance to our meal. Water chestnuts, baby corn, shimeiji mushrooms, celery, sweet peas and almond flakes formed a sublime combination, teasing our tastebuds with a medley of varied crunchiness and delicately clear accents.

By now, our tastebuds were already saturated by the earlier spectrum of unapologetically huge flavours. Still, the plate of notable Fried Prawns with Pumpkin and Butter Milk Sauce succeeded in snagging our approval as we got our hands dirty, devouring the drool-worthy crustaceans. It was such fun, licking off the creamy sauce off the prawn shells before we sunk our teeth into the sweet springy meat. 

Slices of Klang homegrown Eng Kee pineapple and cantaloupe wrapped up our lunch on a delightfully refreshing note. 

For reservations at New Harvest, call tel: 03 3345 2288. Address: 19, Jalan Goh Hock Huat, Klang, Selangor